What is the BEST ear protection?

Guns & Gear Gear
1

We’ve talked about all sorts of hearing protection (Range Bag Dump: Ear Protection?, Bluetooth hearing protection? and other topics). Kevin’s Into the Fray claims to be discussing the best hearing protection. But before we get there,

What do you think is the best hearing protection?

  • Earmuffs
  • Electronic earmuffs
  • Foam earplugs
  • Electronic earplugs

0 voters

After you vote, check out what Kevin says is the best. Click on the blur - I don’t want to give away Kevin’s opinion with the picture that comes up. :slight_smile:

https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/ear-protection-done-right/

Do you agree with Kevin?

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I like my electronic ear muffs because it allows me to listen to music as well. However they don’t seem to work as well for me as regulat muffs.

Reading the article it doesn’t surprise me that the foam plugs are the best. I just don’t ever feel like I have the set in my ear correctly.

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Touche. Yes his answer is more effective, I answered based on best all around.

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Yes. I agree. Actually that was easy answer for me. I did a research few months ago to have the best hearing protection in reasonable price (reasonable price means max $50 :wink:)
So foam earplugs are the best… but I don’t like them. I keep bottle of them as a backup.
My primary protection is SureFire EP10 - great product, works similar to foam earplugs.
BTW - I hate earmuffs :shushing_face:

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Yes, foam plugs will currently have the best isolation as measured in decibels reduction. But, adding ear muffs or earmuffs with noise cancellation, or earmuffs with NC + Bluetooth, so you can listen to something distracting OR be on a local conference circuit so you can coordinate with a group or the Range Master & Team… or earmuffs with NC + gating environmental microphone/amplifiers to hear local range conversation… are all going to be better than “JUST” the plugs…

Plugs + muffs are just better because the benefit is additive.

Now, there is science starting to show up that the concussive effects on our hearing physiology may be impacted by bone and liquid conduction. Obviously this will be relative to amplitude, impulse, duration, and inverse square propagation involved with distances that are in an unrestricted environment. Adding focusing lenses/mufflers become special case but should be accounted for.

So… just like the sun and our skin… protect it; it doesn’t necessarily come back! And tinnitus sucks. (Not saying everyone gets to enjoy that special goodness. Or, that it is permanent and continuous in all cases.)

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